Fuel composition



Patented Aug. 8, 1944 FUEL COMPOSITION Francis M. Seger, Pitman, and Edwin M. Nygaard, Woodbury, N. .I.. assll'nors to Socony- Vacuum Oil Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application March 21, 1942,

. Serial No. 435,718

6 Claims.

This invention relates to fuels for internal combustion engines of the Diesel or compression ignition type, and more particularly relates to the improvement of liquid hydrocarbon fuels by the addition thereto of a characterizing agent.

In Diesel engine operation, a liquid fuel-is injected into a combustion chamber and ignited by p ion In order to obtain maximum efficiency of operation, the delay period between the instant of injection and'the instant of ignition should be short. Improperly delayed ignition gives rise to the phenomenon known as "knocking due to improper coordination of combustion and cylinder characteristics. By accelerating the ignition of Diesel fuel it is possible to lower the compression pressure at which spontaneous ignition will occur without combustion shock, thereby increasing the ease of starting and smoothness with which combustion takes place.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, various compounds have been credited with the capacity to improve th ignition quality of Diesel fuels. Small amounts of such compounds incorporated in the fuel act as ignition accelerators. By such means, the better grade of Diesel fuels are improved, and the lower grade fuels are improved so as to have greater value.

The present-invention is predicated upon the discovery that the ignition delay period of liquid hydrocarbon fuel oils used in Diesel type engines is decreased substantially, and the lubricating qualities of the fuel on the engine parts are greatly improved, by the addition thereto of a minor proportion of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride. :The present invention contemplates Diesel fuels having admixed therewith small amounts of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride, and particularly contemplated by the present invention is an improved method of accelerating the ignition of a non-viscous hydrocarbon fuel oil in compression ignition engines, said method being characterized by the step of admixing the aforesaid characterizing agent with the fuel prior to its ignition in the engine.

Those skilled in the art know tricholorometh-' anesulfonylchloride by the chemical formula,

c1c-sc1 l and are familiar with various methods forthe preparation 'of the same. Reference to the literature provides the following listof typical methods:

A. Action of moist chlorinefon carbon disulfide. Berzelius, Marcet; Gilberts Annalen (1. Phys. 48, 161. Kolbe;: Am. 54, 152. Loew; Z. Chem; 82 (1869).

B. Perchloromethylmercaptan and nitric acid sults of these determinations are given below in Table II. I

Table I Fuel A Fuel B Gravity, "A. P. I 39.8 31.0 Flash point (Pensky-Martens, F 172 174 v Aniline point, F 160. 6 141. 5 Diesel index 83.9 44.7 Octane number. 40

386 383 435 458 572 650 End point 614 728 Table II Pegcellii by I in w o nncrease Octane Oil chloromethoctane anesulfonumber numbe nylchloridc (d.l.2) in contact for 2 to 3 weeks. Rathke; Ber. 3, 860. Rathke; Ann. 167, 202.

C. Reaction of trichloromethyl sulphinic acid and chlorine. Kolbe; Ann. 54, 154. Loew; Z. Chem. 82 (1869). D. Oxidation of perchloromethylmercaptan ,in glacial acetic acid with concentrated nitric acid. Schechter and Haller; J. A. C. S. 63, 1764 (1941).

A preferred method of preparation of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride is that of Schechter and Haller given in reference "D." When isolated, the compound is a colorless solid having a melting point of C. to 140.5" C. (corrected).

The effectiveness of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride in improving the ignition qualities of Diesel fuels is demonstrated by comparative cetane number results obtained with representative fuel blanks and fuel blends of the same containing the aforesaid characterizing agent. The representative Diesel fuels are designated .fuel A (a straight run number 2 fuel oil) and By the term Diesel'type fuel orDiesel fuel"- as used herein we have reference to any hydrocarbon or predominantly hydrocarbon material which is adapted for use as fuel in a Diesel engine and the ignition quality of which is susceptifonylchloride, the present invention is not limited 5 to mineral oil fractions of the type ordinarily used as fuels, but is directed to mineral oil fractions broadly and includes those fractions normally used as lubricants where the sole purpose of the additive is to improve the lubricant characteristics.

The quantity of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride used in the mineral oil fraction may vary depending upon the oil fraction, the conditions of use, and results desired, but, in general, the compound may be added in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 10.0%. r

We claim:

1. An improved Diesel fuel comprising a liquid hydrocarbon fuel oil and in admixture therewith a minor proportion'of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride in an amount sufficient to improve the ignition quality of the fuel. a

2. An improved Diesel fuel comprising'a liquid hydrocarbon fuel oil and in admixture therewith a minor proportion, from about 0.1% to about 10.0%, of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride.

3. The method of accelerating the ignition quality of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an engine where the fuel isiniected into compressed air in the engine cylinder and ignites spontaneously therein, which comprises admixing with the fuel, prior to its injection into the cylinder, 8. minor proportion of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride.

4. The method of accelerating the ignition quality of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an engine 10 where the fuel is injected into compressed air in the engine cylinder and ignites spontaneously therein, which comprises admixing with the fuel, prior to its injection into the cylinder, a minor proportion, from about 0.1;% trichloromethanesulfonylchloride.

5. An oil composition comprising anoil selected from the group consisting of a Diesel fuel oil and a mineral lubricating oil, and in admixture therewith a minor proportion of trichloromethanesulfonylchloride.

6. An oil composition comprising an oil selected from the group consisting of a Diesel fuel oil and a mineral lubricating oil, and in admixture therewith a minor proportion, from about 0.1% to about 10.0% of trichloromethanesuifonylchloride.

FRANCIS M. SEGER. EDWIN M. NYGAARD.

to about 10.0%, of 

